How Old Are You Now?
by Allison T
Summary: My take on what Buffy's 21st birthday would be like.


"What is it with people and birthdays anyway

Title: How Old Are You Now? 1/1

Author: Allison, candygurl2614@yahoo.com

Distribution: If you want it, you can have it. Just tell me where its being put so I can see it with my own eyes.

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, they're Joss's.

Summary:Post- Forever

Author's Note: Yes, I _know_ Buffy having a birthday party has been done a million times, but I wanted to give my own take on it.

"What is it with people and birthdays anyway?" Anya asked, irritated. "I mean I don't even know how old I am I've had so many. Why bother counting them when they are just a timely reminder of your not far off death?"

"Thank you Anya for reminding me." Buffy said sarcastically. "I probably won't live to see 25, and even then I would be the oldest slayer to ever live." The scoobies had spent the entire day trying to convince Buffy to have a birthday party. Or at least some sort of get together. 

"Turning 21 _is _a big deal Buffy, you will finally be able to do everything legally that you've been doing since sixteen. Besides, we all already have you presents." Xander pointed out from his seat across from Willow. The Magic Box had had practically no customers today and Xander, Willow, Buffy, Giles and Anya had all piled in the back room to research some sort of demon that they had found dead in the cemetery.

"Yeah, and we could have it at your house or at the Bronze." Willow quipped from her permanent position in front of a huge spell book. 

"Fine, fine, you guys win. We will have a stupid birthday party, but only us. Nobody else."

"Good with me," said Xander. "Besides, I've got to get to work." He grabbed his jacket, kissed Anya and strode out, just as another customer came in.

"Spike. We told you that you weren't welcome here." Giles said without even looking up.

"Sorry but Red hasn't found a way to kick me out of public places yet. Till then, you'll just have to deal." Spike said and stalked over and sat between Buffy and Willow. "Doesn't matter though, I'm here on business."

"What might that be?" Buffy asked, introducing herself to the conversation. She smiled to herself in silent victory when Spike stuttered.

"Uh…um… a spell," he finished.

"Save yourself the embarrassment and leave. You obviously came here because you have nothing better to do." Buffy said and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"Ok, I'll admit that I didn't come here for a spell but I did come here for something important." Spike protested. Buffy stared pointedly at him and cocked her head.

"Well.. uh.. I wanted to know if you had killed that Glory chick yet." He answered uneasily.

"No." Buffy pouted and stood up restlessly also noticing that Anya and Willow had left the room. "And I don't want to talk about it," she said facing her back to him and flipping through the huge magick book that Willow had left.

Spike came up behind her and looked over her shoulder at the book she was flipping through. Buffy ignored him and continued looking until she found a picture of the demon. Gothwart Demon. 

"This is it," she announced to the room. And Spike.

Silently, they both read the few paragraphs below the crude drawing.

"Boring," Buffy yawned. "Another one of those 'lets take over the world' demons. Can't they get any more creative?"

"Guess not. Well my blanket's burnt so I'm going to enjoy the day here with you." He smiled at her and leaned back in one of the chairs, his hands behind his head.

"Ooh, how tempting, but no. I've got to take Dawny to softball practice."

"Can I come?" Spike asked honestly. Buffy nearly choked.

"You.. come to softball practice? Only if you get out in the sun and cheer for her. And why the sudden interest in watching preteens run around and attempt to score? Doesn't sound like your kind of shindig."

"Well, you see it is my kind of shindig, because the other day I told the Little Bit I would come to one of her practices." Spike retorted, lying through his teeth, of course Buffy wouldn't find out, because the Nibblet adored him.

"Sorry, but it really is out in the full sun," Buffy said picking up her keys and purse. Before leaving she glanced around. 

"Tell Giles I had to go," she said and started to walk out the door.

"Wait!" Spike called. His whole plan of spending the afternoon with Buffy had been ruined. Now he was stuck at Giles's stuffy store until evening. "Don't I get a good-bye kiss?" he asked, his tone mocking but his face serious.

Buffy flicked him the middle finger and strode out the door.

"Love you too, precious," Spike said to the closed door.

Buffy cursed at her keys and the door for not working after trying another key for what seemed like the 50th time and was about to kick the door down when it opened for her. 

"SURPRISE!" Five people shrieked at the top of their lungs. Buffy jumped back into a fighting stance for a moment then smiled at her best friends. She slowly stepped inside greeted by hugs and 'god, you're getting old' from many people.

"Wow, this is amazing. I never knew my house could look this good. Can I have a birthday party every week?" Buffy smiled and laughed. For once it looked clean and decorative.

She looked around at the streamers from the ceiling and the banner that read 'Happy B-day Buffy!' She looked over everyone smiling and talking. Sure, it was only Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, and Dawny. A thought crossed her mind.. _Where is Spike?_ She quickly shoved it to the back of her mind and concentrated on everyone else.

Her eyes fell on the presents on the floor.

"Oooh, I get to open those first right?" she asked.

Buffy laughed when she unwrapped Anya's present. A vibrator. Giles took one look and walked into the kitchen. 

"Thank you Anya. You can never have too many of those." Buffy said, gasping for breath and setting aside the vibrator and pulling the next present into her lap.

"I agree." Anya smiled and slapped Xander on the butt. 

After much more laughter, Buffy had a vibrator, five stakes packed with holy water (Giles of course), gift certificate to J. Crew from Willow and Tara. _Willow and Tara._ Buffy smiled as she thought, _They've even started giving gifts together._ A shoe rack that Xander made himself that held 15 pairs. 

"Though you'll still have a million pairs left over." He added. She had also received two new Cd's from Dawn. 

Continued was a rousing game of Touchy Twister, a game made up by Anya where instead of touching the colored dots you needed to touch each other's body parts. Buffy excluded herself after she was asked to grab Xander's butt.

"Guys, I think I'm going to go outside for some fresh air," Buffy announced. The group barely nodded as all were caught up in their own conversations with each other.

She opened the door and felt it crack against something hard.

"Oww, bloody hell." A voice called from behind the door. Buffy smiled when she realized who it was she just smacked in the head with the door.

"Still spying on me, Spike?" she asked as she slipped out the door. She cocked her head and looked up at him. He was still holding his head and cursing.

"I was never spying on you Slayer."

"Yes, Denial, party of one. You've been spying on me for as long as I've known you, whether it was evil intentions or your obsession." She said and walked off the porch. She heard him follow her and felt a little bit of annoyance and satisfaction mixed into one feeling.

"How's your birthday going?" he asked, ignoring her previous comment. She knew he was attempting to make normal conversation and decided to go along with it.

"Fine, considering it's the first one without my mom." She answered lightly.

There was silence for a moment when she heard Spike come up next to her.

"Here's your present." He said gruffly. She turned to him and smiled. Spike got her a present. The guy once dedicated to ending her life got her a birthday present. And it was jewelry box shaped. 

"You didn't have to do this." She said looking at the present but not touching it.

"I wanted to. Think of it as a.. Sign of our temporary truce." Spike said gesturing it for her to take it.

"Temporary?" she questioned, still not taking it.

"Come now pet, as soon as I get this chip out of my head I will be all pumped up and ready to fight you again. Now take the damn present." She glanced down at it. It had been professionally wrapped even with a little bow. _Stupid Spike_ she thought._ Spending money on me. Well that's not the way to my heart. Ill show him._

She roughly grabbed it from his hands and ripped the paper off. She opened the top and in it lay a gorgeous gold necklace. In the center it had a tiny golden rose opened gracefully and in the center of the rose was a tiny, but beautiful diamond. She gaped in open adoration. Never would she admit it but she liked this more than cross that Angel had given her. She was silent for several moments.

"Well." Spike was shifting his weight from foot to foot anxiously. "Do you like it?"

"Spike… I love it. It's beautiful." Quickly, before the moment could be ruined she wrapped him into a hug and remained his arms for a few more seconds than necessary.

When she pulled back he was staring at her and it took a few seconds for him to compose himself again.

"I'm glad you like it. Here, let me help you put it on." He motioned for her to turn around. Surprisingly enough, she did without any protest. He slipped the necklace around her neck and latched it together. He let his hands remain on her neck feeling her blood pump for a few moments before sliding his hands slowly down her arms. He felt her get goose bumps and wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. _Probably a damned bad thing, knowing the slayer._ Spike knew better than to get his hopes up around her for all the times she had ripped his heart out of his chest and stomped on it with her three inch heels.

Suddenly, he sensed her heart pace pick up and knew it was a good thing. He decided not to mention it.

"Well, Slayer I guess I'll being seeing you later. Tell the Little Bit I said hello." Spike said quietly. He mentally kicked himself. If he had waited she might have invited him inside.

She nodded and looked at his retreating back.

"Spike?" she called, for some reason not wanting him to leave yet. He turned around and smiled at her.

"Yeah, duchess?"

"Um..when's your birthday?" Buffy tried to keep the conversation going and hated herself for stuttering in front of Spike of all people.. vampires. Spike grinned that nasty smile of his and strode toward her, his hands in his duster pockets. He came so close she could almost feel the coldness of his skin.

"July 10th, you planning on getting me a present luv?" He grinned haughtily at her.

Buffy smiled seductively and said casually, "Oh, I already got you one." She grinned in spite of herself when she saw the surprise and happiness in his eyes.

"Really? Let me have it now."

Before Buffy could lose her gut she leaned forward and kissed him. It took him only a moment to recover from the shock and kiss her back. Buffy lightly placed her hand on the back of his head running it through his short bleached hair, giving him permission to deepen the kiss. They continued kissing for another few moments until Buffy broke it and lightly trailed kisses up his jawline to his ear.

"Happy Birthday," she whispered in a singsong voice and abruptly turned around and strode back into the house. Spike, stunned but happy, smiled to himself and walked back to his crypt with a little more skip in his step.


End file.
